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Posts Tagged 'research'

A Disability, Perhaps an Opportunity in Disguise

When you were a child, didn’t you grow up wishing you could “be somebody?” Somebody that people would recognize, look up to, admire, almost idolize. Ever since I was a small child I desperately wanted to be something great, probably as most children do. Maybe go to the moon, run for president, play professional sports, become an award winning singer or actor, anything!! Every child’s dream is to be: GREAT.

Posted by Jess Jul 20, 2011 Posted in Disability No Comments

Pregnant Women with Physical Disabilities: Almost an Invisible Population Making Research Nearly Impossible

Tagged with: awareness disability health Healthcare Professionals parents research spinal cord injury

Pregnancy in women with any sort of physical disability is unfortunately uncharted territory. The reason for this is first of all, the research sample is very limited. They have to be women of child bearing age and the research, outcome, and treatment will be highly dependent upon the type of physical disability that the woman presents with.

Posted by Jess Jun 22, 2011 Posted in Disability 4 Comments

Dogs help all family members dealing with autism

Tagged with: Autism behavior disability dog dogs research

One more reason to get a dog: furry four-legged friends can help both parents of / and children with autism.

Posted by Tessa Jun 02, 2011 Posted in Disability No Comments

“Sighted” Wheelchair Makes First Successful Test Drive

Tagged with: accessibility disability research robotics visually impaired wheelchair

A “sighted” wheelchair has been taken on a successful first test drive by a PhD-student who is visually impaired. The electric wheelchair is steered with a joystick and has a “haptic robot” that works like a virtual white cane. A laser scanner helps to create a simplified 3D map of the wheelchair surroundings. The laser scanner uses a technique called “Time-of-flight.” After the 3D map is produced, it transfers back to the haptic robot. This allows a wheelchair user with a visual impairment to “feel or see” obstacles like oncoming people or open doors, and navigate past them.

Posted by Tessa May 24, 2011 Posted in Disability 2 Comments

Scientists create paranoid, delusional computers with “virtual schizophrenia”

Tagged with: computers disability research schizophrenia Technology

If a computer claimed it was responsible for a terrorist bombing, or claimed that it had analyzed and discovered secret-coded NSA messages in online articles which told it to infiltrate a terrorist network, it would likely freak some people out. However, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin were elated when a computer freaked out and told them paranoid and delusional tales. The computer seemed to take on the “split mind” of the disorder schizophrenia which can cause severely impaired thinking, emotions, and behaviors. Scientists did this to the computer to better understand the human brain.

Posted by Tessa May 19, 2011 Posted in Disability No Comments

Disability Research Initiative at UC Berkeley

Tagged with: disability research UC Berkeley

The University of California, Berkeley has announced their plans to expand their disability research program. This initiative will again give credit to Berkeley for their involvement in the advancement of disability studies. “The disability rights movement was born in Berkeley and has flourished here,” said Gibor Basri, vice chancellor for the Division of Equity and Inclusion. “It’s fitting that this campus should continue to advance disability research that benefits the world.”

Posted by Jenny Carlton May 12, 2011 Posted in Uncategorized No Comments

Making Disability No Barrier to Playtime

Tagged with: accessibility accessible advocate disability research

Even though inclusive education has increased, many kids with disabilities still feel excluded during playtime and recess, leaving them on the sidelines as observers and not active participants. Researchers from the University of Leeds engineering and sociology departments are working together to make playtime fun for all kids by taking out the barrier often present when a child has a disability.

Posted by Tessa Apr 26, 2011 Posted in Disability 1 Comment

Scientists Discover helpful cells in Spinal Cord Injury

Tagged with: research spinal cord injury therapy

Spinal cord injuries have resulted in life-changing and permanent injuries for over a million Americans. According to data released recently by Ohio State University, there are over 1.3 million people in the United States who are living with a spinal cord injury.

Posted by Tanya Apr 21, 2011 Posted in Uncategorized No Comments

Scientists Use Illusion to Trick Brain, Cut Osteoarthritis Pain in Half

Tagged with: arthritis disability osteoarthritis physiotherapy research

Experts estimate nearly 27 million people in the United States are afflicted with osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis, with 60% of them being women. Two-thirds of the people over age 65 have osteoarthritis and those numbers are expected to climb as baby boomers age. There is currently no cure, so the emphasis is on effective treatment. It can be a major cause of disability and lead to a great amount of pain and stiffness in the joints. Yet good news comes out of The University of Nottingham. By a fluke of fate, researchers discovered a simple illusion can drastically reduce — and sometimes temporarily eliminate arthritic pain in the hand.

Posted by Tessa Apr 21, 2011 Posted in Disability No Comments

Autism Researcher Accused of Embezzling Over $1 Million from Research Grant

Tagged with: Autism fraud research vaccines

When there are breakthroughs in autism research, it’s pretty exciting. It’s also not like the money is raining down from heaven to do this research. But how low can a person go?

Posted by Tessa Apr 18, 2011 Posted in Disability No Comments